2. What does it look like to be strong “in the Lord” versus being strong in your self? Can you tell of any experiences when you were strong in the Lord when in previous situations you had tried to be strong in yourself?

3. Do you think the devil knows your weaknesses? How do you go about resisting the devil? See 1 Pet 5:8-9

4. Do you sometimes think that you will never be tempted by a particular sin? See 1 Cor 10:12

5. Is there any temptation you can’t resist? How does God help you so you can resist? See 1 Cor 10:13

6. Can Jesus understand what you are going through? See Heb 4:15

7. Prayer: This week, pray with your child against temptation. Ask for strength and protection in the areas you both struggle with. Pray also that you would be on your guard in areas where you feel strong. At the end of the week, ask your child how the week went.

Key Point(s) of Passage: Abram was worried that because he did not yet have any children, that his servant would inherit everything. But God promised that not only would Abram have a son, but that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Memory Verse:“Abram believed the Lord. The LORD accepted Abram because he believed. So his faith made him right with the Lord.” (Ge. 15.6)

Questions for Family Discussion:

You do not have to go through all the questions – pick and choose whatever you feel will work best for your particular family.

1. Preparation – Pray a quick prayer together as a family that God will help you to understand His word.

2. Find an easy to read version of the Bible to read together as a family. The NIRV (New International Reader’s Version) is a good choice for elementary kids. Then if your child is able, help them find the passage in their Bible and read it out loud, while helping with hard words. Or read it out loud for your child.

3. Read v. 1. What is the very first thing God said to Abram? Why do you think God said that to him (why might Abram be afraid of God) ?

4. Also in v.1, what do you think God means when He says, “I am like a shield to you” ? How is God like that for you?

5. Also in v.1, what do you think God means when He says, “I am your very great reward” ? How is God a reward for us, too?

6. Read v. 2-3. What was Abram worried about? (Parents – you might need to explain a little bit about how inheritance works)

7. Read v. 4. But what was God’s reply? How do you think it felt for Abram -already an old man- to hear that he would finally have a son?

8. Read v. 5. Have you ever tried counting all the stars on a clear night? Do you think Abram tried counting all of them?

9. Read v. 12-14. How did God speak to Abram? Has God ever spoken to you in a dream or while you were sleeping? What did God tell Abram? (God told him prophetically [in advance] what would happen to Abram’s descendants when they became slaves in Egypt, and then were miraculously delivered in the Exodus and got to take treasures with them).

Family Activity Idea1. Find a nice, clear night when many stars are visible. If it is feasible, drive to a more rural location without many city lights. If available, bring a pair of binoculars or a portable telescope. Go outside and lay on your back and gaze up at the stars. See if you can count even a small portion of the stars in the sky without losing count! How many stars were you able to count? On a clear night, you might be able to see as many as 3,000 stars: http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/11660. You could even help NASA in their Star Count program: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/son/energy/starcount/index.html. Now what do you think it felt like for God to tell a childless Abram that he would have more descendants than he could count?!

2. Even though Abram might have been able to see 1,000s of stars that night long ago, we now know that there are actually billions of stars in the universe. It says in Ps. 147.4 that “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name”. God knows the name -not only of the 1,000s of stars we can see- but of each of the billions of stars that He made! And God knows each and every one of Abram’s numerous descendants, and each and every one of His followers. Though if you want, you can actually name a star too with http://www.starregistry.com/index.cfm. However, after you die and get to be with God, you’ll have to compare His original name for the star with yours!

This board book teaches about the real meaning of Easter using different colors of things found in an Easter basket. It’s a simple, gentle introduction to the Easter story that could be easily duplicated in your child’s Easter basket.

This book is a nice explanation of how we can enjoy many different things at Easter time (candy, dying eggs, new clothes), but that none of these things are the best thing about Easter. The book makes no mention the Easter bunny, if that is a concern of your household.

This is a beautiful story about a little girl who receives a mysterious gift. She’s disappointed when it turns out to be a bunch of dirt and tosses the lifeless bulb away. She is surprised when the bulb comes to life as a beautiful Easter lily! It teaches children about the power of grace and forgiveness. (One of a series of four parable books which correspond to each season)Easter Bunny Are You For Real? by Harold Myra

This book tries to answer the question “what does the Easter Bunny have to do with Easter”? It teaches children about the true meaning behind the traditions our culture uses to celebrate Easter and Spring. While mentioning the Easter Bunny, it never really answers the question of whether the Easter Bunny is real. [So it won’t ruin the fun if the Easter Bunny visits your family.]